So last time I gave my 6 college tips for incoming freshmen. And this time, I’ll be giving a few college budgeting tips for new students (or college students in general). So here are my 5 college tips and tricks for saving money:
If You Have Time, Maybe Get a Part-time Job
Now, I understand that a lot of people might not have time for this. But perhaps if you’re not taking a full schedule of classes, or if you’re just really good at time management, getting a part-time job during the school year can be a good idea if you need the money. It could definitely be necessary if your parents can’t afford to help you out in that area. Besides, getting some work experience while you’re still in school can also help you get a job after you graduate.
Don’t Have a Car with You at School
It’ll just be more unnecessary money being spent on things like gas and parking. If your school has a small campus, you can just walk around. It’s good exercise. And if you go to a school with a big campus like I did, then they probably have free buses or some other form of free transportation to help you get around. And you really shouldn’t need to leave campus that often. A good school should have pretty much everything you need right there on campus.
Buy Things at Home, Not at School
Getting things from the stores on campus can be really expensive. Buying stuff from the local stores near your home is probably much cheaper. It’s a good idea try to have everything you need already with you when you’re going to be away from home for a while. Whether it be school supplies, food, or toiletries, you can probably get it cheaper from your local ShopRite or Wal-Mart than you can at your school store. You could also just bring stuff from home that you already have.
Just Save Your Money
You don’t really need to spend a ton of your own money in college. Hopefully, you have some sort of meal plan (and if not, I’d strongly recommend getting one in the future). But if you do have one, make sure you try to use it as often as you can. You don’t need to go out and spend a ton of money on fast food every week. And if you’re looking for something fun to do, I’m sure your school has plenty of free events on campus that you can check out. I’m sure there’s also plenty of clubs you can join for free. Just take advantage of everything your school offers you.
Budget Your Money
But of course, at some point, you’re going to have to spend some money on something. So just make sure that you keep track of how much you start each week with, and how much you spend each week. Try to plan it out so you have enough money each week for everything you think you’re going to need. And every time you spend some money, just subtract it from your weekly budget. Even having a general idea of this sort of thing can be very useful.
